MONTEREY >> When the U.S. Army told DJ Skelton his military career was over because of wounds he had suffered in the war in Iraq, he disagreed, and went on to write policies in place today in the military that help formerly wounded veterans remain on active duty.

Speaking before a breakfast meeting this week of the Monterey Sunset Rotary Club, Skelton said the abilities and skills of the nation's veterans are a valuable resource.

"We need to retain the talent and the energy of our veterans," he said.

Skelton grew up in Elk Point, South Dakota, and enlisted in the Army in 1996. In 1999 he was nominated to attend West Point Military Academy, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant. After training as an infantry and airborne officer, he saw combat in Fallujah, Iraq, and was wounded in November 2004 while leading a rifle infantry platoon.

"I lost my left eye," Skelton said. "My left arm I lost the use of below the elbow, and I have a prosthetic device on my right ankle."

He underwent multiple surgeries and had to re-learn how to speak and walk. Military officials told him his career was over.

"The Army told me, 'you're severely wounded, you need to leave,' " Skelton said. "I had a hard time with that, and I said no. I said I think I can still offer something to the organization. Being wounded shaped me, but it didn't define who I was."

The Army gave Skelton his second chance.

"They said 'OK, we'll take the risk,' " he said.

Before 2004, there had been no policy in place in the military to retain wounded soldiers to allow them to continue on active duty if they chose to. Skelton helped write new policies, called Continuance of Active Duty, while serving as a military adviser to Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England.

A graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Skelton in 2008 returned to command a company and became an associate dean for the DLI Middle East School.

In 2010 he transferred to the Pentagon to serve Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen on veterans' transition issues, and also served as a non-resident military fellow at the Center for New American Security. The Washington-based think tank develops national security and defense policies. Skelton participated in the "Silent Wounds Project," studying the effects of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries on combat veterans.

Skelton was again deployed to combat in 2011, this time in Afghanistan, after completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

He also spent a year in Beijing with the U.S. Embassy.

He is the author of "Our Hero Handbook," a guide to assist wounded service members and their families during rehabilitation.

Skelton, who speaks fluent Chinese, is a co-founder of Paradox Sports, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for people with physical challenges to enjoy outdoor activities such as rock climbing.

"If you're a quadriplegic or paraplegic and want to ski on Mount Rainier, we'll do it," he said.

Skelton, currently a graduate student at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey pursuing a master's degree in National Security Studies, said veterans have continuing high rates of unemployment, suicide, homelessness and spousal abuse. He called for a greater focus on developing mentorships in local communities to assist veterans.

"We need to focus on groups in the community who can help strengthen us," he said. "We need to bring resources together to help veterans."